July 13, 2006
Tools for writing: Distraction-free text editors
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Everyone’s favourite Lauren Bacall soundalike Canadian podcaster, Donna PepsiCola, has recently put me onto the estimable Matthew Stibbe who, in a series of posts, has been contemplating the art of avoiding distraction when writing. (If Australians come from Australia, and Americans come from America, why don’t Canadians come from Canadia?)
Distraction, for a writer, is serious business — even a humble request to ‘take out the garbage’ midstream can cause 40 minutes of lost productivity, as one of Matthew’s commentors to his post Tools for writing: Distraction-free text editors points out.
As Matthew says,
I am easily distracted by things on my computer: email, blogging, IM etc. (More tips on how to concentrate on writing in my recent post.) Several people have recommended using a back-to-basics fullscreen word processor. Here are a few alternatives:
- Mac: WriteRoom
- Windows: Dark Room
- Java (should work on Windows, Mac and Linux): JDarkRoom
- Microsoft Word: Amit Agarwal has some tips to make Word run like WriteRoom
I’m going to try writing an article with one of these and I’ll report back on how effective it was.
Amit Agarwal’s tips on how to make make Word run like WriteRoom is a bottler, as we say here in the Antipodes (meaning that it’s terribly good).
It brings back to mind that for many years Word allowed you to emulate WordPerfect — complete with blue screen and white text. I went hunting for it on Word2007 beta2 but alas couldn’t find that option. I guess that the Word project team decided that no one would remember WordPerfect these days, and perhaps they are right — it is only old curmudgeons like me that do. But not fondly. I used WP for a few months and was frustrated by all the arcane codes one needed to enter to do something as simple as embolden or italicise something. Then Word came into my life and I never looked back!
But Amit’s post and screenshots took me right back to my earliest days with personal computers (just after I had got my head around punch cards). First the green screen, then the WOW! factor of orange text.
I’m now so used to typing black text onto a white screen that it will be interesting to try out Amit’s suggestion and see if the distraction-less environment makes composition easier.
I usually work in full-screen mode with Word, knowing the keyboard shortcuts for most of the things I need on a daily basis, but I confess to forgetting how to remove the annoying little ‘full screen’ toolbar when I do. No matter where I position it, it gets in the way and becomes its own distraction.
But I am again grateful to the sublime Ms P for pointing out another blogger worthy of adding to my feeds. I’ve been heavily culling and re-arranging my feeds in GreatNews and I must say I’m pleased with the result. Matthew makes it into my second-tier ‘Darjeeling Breakfast’ list.
Stumble it!
Filed under: miscellaneous
14 Responses to “Tools for writing: Distraction-free text editors”
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July 13th, 2006 at 5:21 pm
‘Darjeeling Breakfast’. Cool. My favourite.
How do you keep on top of all the blogs you read? I find this increasingly challenging.
Matthew
July 13th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
Someone wise and perspicacious once pointed to an article which, which asking why someone’s blogged sucked, said “You lack a diagnosed sleep disorder, minor substance abuse problem, mecurial temperament, and/or innate desire to alienate loved ones.”
If champagne, which is the drink of love, is classed as a minor substance abuse, then I fall into all three categories
I believe the relevant post can be found here: http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=195
Must buy the bloke who posted it a coffee one day to say ‘thanks’ for a ripping read of a blog…
July 14th, 2006 at 1:41 am
Lee, it’s MUCH too hot here in Toronto for my ball gown, but thanks for the photo anyway. For the record, I sound like Ms. Bacall ONLY when I have a chest cold.
Glad you are enjoying Matthew’s Bad Language Blog. He is terrific, eh?
Writers are champions at distraction. This morning I disconnected the ethernet so I could not go online. I had to force myself to keep my bum in my chair so I could finish two articles. Right now I am on hold waiting for a conf call to begin. When I’m done I will disconnect myself once again. With so many balls in the air and so many ideas I want to explore, it’s the only way I can force myself to focus today. I wish I were a coffee drinker. Perhaps a massive dose of caffeine would help…
July 15th, 2006 at 12:47 am
Hi Lee,
I know exactly what you mean - I thought it was just me being too easily distracted from the task in hand.
I’m going to download Writenews now and see if it helps me focus on getting stuff done!
Cheers,
sw
July 20th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
[...] This post by Lee Hopkins struck a chord with me. [...]
July 21st, 2006 at 11:27 am
Simon, how did you get on with Writenews? Donna, does this mean I need to start using bathing suit photos now?
July 21st, 2006 at 11:50 am
Lee, please, no. No bathing suit photos!!!
I beg of you!!
July 21st, 2006 at 11:55 am
ha ha ha!!! normally that would be a plea that would fall on deaf ears (in fact, more like a red rag to a bull) but seeing as my ’sensitivity and tact’ gland has been failing this week I shall, for once, asceed to your request.
July 21st, 2006 at 1:28 pm
Hi Lee,
I ended up with Dark Room as I’m PC based (and easily confused obviously).
I think it’s great and have installed it on all three PCs I use regularly. Got some strange looks in the office but it definitely helps keep me away from email and aesthetics, and focus on content
cheers,
sw
July 22nd, 2006 at 3:59 pm
I’ve downloaded and given DarkRoom a go and I’m very impressed! Thanks for trying it out first, Simon!
July 25th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
Are you aware of the word processor Ulysses? it’s specially designed for ‘creative’ writers, and its greatest feature is a true fullscreen mode. Have a look at it here: http://www.blue-tec.com/ulysses/
the only downside is the price, but there’s a test version available.
September 28th, 2006 at 1:08 am
Thought I’d mention MightyFineWork.com as I just discovered it. Full screen but understands chapters and manuscript layouts too.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:31 am
Cool, thanks for that Sam. I’ll check it out.
September 28th, 2006 at 9:37 am
Hmmm — looks very interesting. I’m downloading the trial version and I’ll let you know what I find. The full version is only $50 Australian so it’s not exactly going to break the bank — and will probably run faster than my mind-numbingly slow version of Word2007 beta at the moment!
Lee